David Lee - Assignment 1

The phenomenon of digital media convergence is a relatively new concept, being described as the crossroad between the old media system and the new media system. (Jenkins, 2006)

 

Traditionally, media content was only controlled by a small amount of companies as it was taxing both on time and resources to distribute. This limited the interaction with consumers for this type of product. Today, technology has allowed more of a participatory culture into media convergence in that it allows content to be shared publicly by individuals through the growth of new platforms and devices, such as facebook and the iPhone (Henry Jenkins and Mark Deuze, 2008). In music video, this has shown the progression from television, to the internet, and finally to all types of mediums. 

In 1981, MTV started the first 24hour music channel. Initially, music videos had low production value and small budgets, but they still provoked positive responses and with this the popularization of music videos began to boom. Television was the 'new' profitable platform, and record labels began to promote their artists by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in just the production of these clips. (David Barker, 2009). Television was the only platform available at the time to broadcast this media content, and made it very exclusive and hard to access otherwise but slowly, with the launch of the internet, the era of music videos on television began to fade as a new medium began to be discovered.

The internet has allowed the public to interact with media content available between each other and has created a convergence culture in modern society. These individuals can now share convergent media content through mediums like television, internet or mobile devices. One such popular platform used by entities and individuals alike is a video hosting website, YouTube. (Alex Munt, 2011)

YouTube is a socialized media platform of high media convergence status. Accessibility is not strictly bound to personal use and has been utilized by many record labels and artists. This platform is easily accessible due to the internet and therefore allows record labels to reach a larger target audience knowing generation Y is heavily networked online. (Austerlitz.S, 2007) Now that music videos can be accessed on YouTube, a video can be watched whenever a viewer wishes, however many times they wish. Also it has viral potentiality with the ability to share a video amongst friends on social network and convergent medias such as Facebook or your mobile phone. Youtube can be accessed on demand on desktop computers, mobile phones, laptops and gaming consoles, essentially causing redundancy in the television as a viable platform for large company advertisements. This in turn has made YouTube one of the biggest convergence icons for music videos to date.

 

Another unique feature of YouTube is user generated content. In terms of music video, the nature of convergence has pushed individuals to produce and upload a fan based music video. These music videos have potential to be viral and really cut the need for any high polished production value. This in turn has caused large record companies to reconsider the justification behind the cost of producing high budget music videos for promotion (David Banner, 2009). This has not only sparked the new media trend, but also it has sparked a new type of interest in music video, the "Lo-Fi online music video". (David Barker, 2009). This type of video is usually 'rough', inexpensive yet grabs the attention of today's internet culture of YouTube and twitter, where the highly produced video has started to fade in interest and a more realistic approach for live music is attainable at a click away.

This appropriation of MGMT's 'Kid's' was created by a Jon Salmon, a university student at the time.  The clip was produced in two nights, yet created a online sensation attractive over 40 million views. The success of the 'Lo-Fi' music video is further seen through the contrast in views of MGMT's own version, which has 14 million views and such a feat could only be achieved through the phenomenon and direction of digital media convergence to YouTube.

 

As the internet was becoming increasingly popular technology fought to keep up and convergent media platforms such as the smart phone began to appear. The smart phone offered unprecedented media content availability, and with websites such a YouTube being available on-the-go, music videos could be accessed virtually anywhere and shared amongst people directly. Companies like Vevo began collaborating with artists and iTunes, allowing consumers to purchase music from the artists music video page. With this convergence of media ever increasing, speculators have now been able to act as participants gaining wide recognition through these popular platforms. This evolution of media convergence enables the combination of individual media content with cooperative campaigns, making it reach a wider consumer base than having the paid artist's music video played on television. (Austerlitz.S, 2007)

It is apparent that the way we access music videos have changed with technology and the desires and interests of the users of the content have also followed this trend. As the the phenomena of convergence spreads, it gives users the crave for a more interactive network. From the original home of music videos on the television screen to the media platform of the internet, the evolution of the music video is still unfinished as the convergence of media endless.